I was pleased to see that Mark Levin’s new book The Liberty Amendments: Restoring the American Republic
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Ohio Shawn spotted a piece about a single-wheel human cargo trailer, over at Instructables.
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Bob G. sent this study in contrasts: AK-74: Fast Assembly & Disassembly In Russian School. (Most American school teachers would throw a fit before they would allow this in their classrooms.)
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Just for fun: Swiss “Jetman” flies along B-17 aircraft
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“There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength.
An horse [is] a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver [any] by his great strength.
Behold, the eye of the LORD [is] upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy;
To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.
Our soul waiteth for the LORD: he [is] our help and our shield.
For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name.
Let thy mercy, O LORD, be upon us, according as we hope in thee. – Psalm 33:16-22 (KJV)
It sounds like our friend Tam (of the View From The Porch blog) is having Epic Fun at a three gun match at the western edge of The American Redoubt, near Bend, Oregon. She sounds jazzed.
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I was glad to that the Rural Revolution blog is back up on line at its original URL.
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Today we present another entry for Round 48 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:
First Prize: A.) Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course. (A $1,195 value.) B.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) a $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear, E.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value), F.) A $300 Gift Certificate from Freeze Dry Guy. G.) Two BirkSun.com photovoltaic backpacks (one Level, and one Atlas, both black), with a combined value of $275, H.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo. and I.) A roll of $10 face value in pre-1965 U.S. 90% silver quarters, courtesy of GoldAndSilverOnline.com. The current value of this roll is at least $225.
Second Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, B.) A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training. Together, these have a retail value of $589. C.) A FloJak FP-50 stainless steel hand well pump (a $600 value), courtesy of FloJak.com. D.) $300 worth of ammo from Patriot Firearms and Munitions. (They also offer a 10% discount for all SurvivalBlog readers with coupon code SVB10P.), E.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials F.) A full set of all 22 of the books published by PrepperPress.com. This is more than a $200 value, and G.) Two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).
Third Prize: A.) A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.), B.) A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206, C.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value, D.) A Commence Fire! emergency stove with three tinder refill kits. (A $160 value.), E.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security., E.) A Tactical Trauma Bag #3 from JRH Enterprises (a $200 value).
Round 48 ends on September 30th so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.
What if you could have a protein source that is inexpensive to maintain, that would not draw attention the attention of prying eyes and ears and it actually produces valuable bi-products that can be used/traded/sold to help offset remaining costs? Consider the common domestic rabbit.
Rabbits have been kept as a meat animal since before the times of the Roman Empire. They have fed people during good times (as a farm or ranch animal) and in bad times such as: wars, famines, even in America during the Great Depression and both world wars. Today you can find rabbit meat in some grocery stores, available online and shipped to you frozen and on the menus in some fancy big city restaurants.
Six ounces of rabbit meat contains up to 60g of protein. This is more protein than in similar sized portions of beef or chicken. They are an excellent a source of iron, phosphorus, and potassium. Additionally, 6 ounces of rabbit meat has about 300 hundred calories – though not a problem for most Americans these days, this could be a possible issue in a TEOTWAWKI situation where calories are likely being burnt at much higher rate than most people do in a typical day at the office in these fatter times. A larger herd of rabbits could be the answer to that issue.
Raising rabbits takes very little space and 6lbs or 7lbs of rabbit meat can be raised on the same amount of feed that it takes to produce about 1lb of beef. Rabbits are also much quicker to be ready for consumption. A “fryer” rabbit is harvested three months after being born and when served-up with some easily stored pantry food likes beans, greens and rice you have a well-rounded, filling meal – the bones can then be boiled for a soup base for another meal. Another advantage with rabbits is unlike purchasing a calf or hog, your investment is spread-out over many animals and you can eat fresh meat, much sooner (daily if you keep enough animals) without the need to burn valuable resources processing hundreds of pounds of large animal in a relatively small window of time.
My least favorite aspect of raising rabbits is killing and processing them. On a positive note, it really makes you stop and think about where your food comes from. The good news is you get about the same amount of meat from one rabbit as a same sized chicken, but without nearly the same amount of work. The other good news is you can process a rabbit (from start to finish) in less than fifteen minutes, after your first couple of experiences completing the job. A quick “rabbit punch” to the back of the neck quickly and humanely kills the animal. I process mine well away from where I keep the other rabbits in a small processing station where I have a laundry sink, cutting board, knives, paper towels and a couple of buckets close by. Hang them up by the rear feet, cut off the head and letting it bleed out for a couple of minutes is best, then carefully and shallowly cutting them from anus to chest – which allows you to removed organs (many people like the heart, kidneys and liver – but these go to our dog). Skinning them is easy – start up and around the hind legs, make a circle with your knife around each leg and then slice down to your original incision and peel it down toward the shoulder and front legs (easiest to do while the rabbit is hanging upside down with a hook in each hind leg). This method allows you to quickly skin them. After this you place the carcass in some cold water to clean it and keep it fresh. You can then quarter it up to cook immediately or place it in the refrigerator or freezer to store for later use – that is, as long as the grid is up and power is working. It might be a good idea to try canning a few meals into jars and processing them in your pressure canner.
There are additional benefits to raising rabbits too. Rabbit pelts can be processed and turned into an asset (more on that below), their manure is not a “hot” manure and can be placed directly into the garden without composting, but the real fringe benefits of the manure being produced is the worms that can live in it. Worms can be free feed for chickens, used (or sold) as fish bait and they make the rabbit manure into something even better – worm casings (worm poop) which is an even better supplement for your garden (and also a possible income/bartering source).
Some people tan or cure the skins or sell them to an outside processor – I think they would be good for crafts, etc. but it would take a lot of work to get enough of them to make clothing or a blanket for an adult. Thus far I have not been successful finding a vender interested in purchasing the raw skins so these are currently being discarded. This is unfortunate, as I hate to waste anything, but at this point I have found more pressing issues requiring my time.
These easy to handle animals are a handy commodity to have at your disposal, they can be sold as pets, food, 4H projects, and in rural areas even high school students in the Future Farmers of America (FFA) needing a project for their Vocational Agriculture classes are potential customers or they can be traded for something else you need. You are only limited by your space and time commitments and your imagination.
Caring for two dozen rabbits takes about the same time as caring for two rabbits. A mineral block, fresh water, some commercial pellets, hay and occasional treats are about all they need food-wise, though it is a good idea to handle them regularly to keep them familiar with you and thus easier to manage when it time to sell/trade/process them. Well cared for rabbits take up little space, are quiet and will not draw attention if you are careful about your placement of their hutches. Rabbit hutches are simple to build using some purchased “rabbit wire” and scrap lumber (though it is important to avoid using treated wood where they might be able to chew on it) and the hutches need to be placed where the occupants will have plenty of shade and ventilation. Rabbits can generally handle cold weather, but they really don’t like to get too hot. Keeping them safe from predators is important too – not just woodland creatures, but your neighbor’s dog, your dog, your neighbor (think SHTF type of situations). An existing building such as a garage or tool shed, with proper ventilation, can easily be modified to house your rabbits and their hutches. People even have kept them in their basements when the situation called for it. Stacking the hatches from floor to ceiling with trays or tin flumes between the levels to capture or channel dropping and urine will go a long way to keeping everything sanitary and discreet.
It is a good idea to keep good records of the production of your does – how large their litters are, the number of surviving kits, which buck you bred them with and how long they have been producing. If the doe consistently produces large litters of healthy kits and this is documented, the records can then sometimes be used to place a higher value on any of the rabbits being traded or sold from that doe’s litter. Good record keeping will also show you which does haven’t produced healthy litters of kits or which were does were not very good moms – this can help you cull the less productive animals and keep track of the pedigrees of the best producing members of your herd. Some rabbit breeders tattoo numbers in one ear of each of their doe’s and buck’s to keep track of who is doing what and that is especially important if the rabbits are being kept all together, but based on the compact size of my rabbitry and the fact that each animal has its own hutch, I have never felt the need to go this trouble.
Some people use a colony approach for their rabbitry with the rabbits all living together in a big pen (picture a hippie commune), but I prefer to keep them in individual hutches (think bunny apartments). I have found they are easier to care for this way, it is easier to keep records and if one of them becomes sick, you can quarantine it from the others until it can be treated. It is also easier to monitor how much food each one is eating and their individual water intake.
Expanding you herd is simple enough to do. Take the female (the doe) to the male (the buck) for breeding and then return her to her cage. Never take the buck to the doe’s cage as she will likely injure or kill him – I believe Marlin Perkins from the old “Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom” series called this behavior “territorial ferocity” – call it what you wish, but avoid this simple mistake. I have found that if you take her over to the buck’s cage in the early morning, they will usually breed within a half hour or so. After they settle back down, I usually remove the doe back to her cage and bring her back again that evening. Sometimes they don’t breed when they first are introduced (especially if one of them is young), but the afternoon meeting usually goes well. Sometimes they breed morning and afternoon – hence the term breeding like rabbits. A healthy buck can take care of a dozen does (though not a good idea to have him that busy all at once). If you have more than 6 does, I have found that it is a good idea to have 2 bucks to keep some diversity in your rabbit herd.
The cycle goes kind of like this: start out breeding the rabbits when they are about 6 months old. The pregnant doe will usually have her nesting instinct kick in about 25 days after breeding. Place a nesting box into her cage and give her some soft straw to complete her nest, don’t be alarmed when she pulls her own fur out of her underside and places it in the nest too. She will give birth about 30 days from the date of breeding. A couple of days after she has her litter of baby rabbits (kits), check the nest for dead or deformed kits that may need removed, but don’t handle any of the healthy ones, as the doe may reject them. She will nurse them for 7-8 weeks and they will transition to pellets and hay during this time. I let the doe rest for a few weeks in her own cage, the rabbits of the new litter (soon-to-be- fryers) are fine to be kept together. They will be ready for your skillet or for sell or trade a few weeks later and the doe can then be bred again to restart the cycle.
If you follow this schedule, one doe can produce 1,000 times her body weight in a year’s time from four separate litters. If you have 6 does on slightly staggered breeding schedules with each producing 4 litters each per year (with about 5-6 kits in a litter) you are looking at some serious protein being produced. That is easily enough rabbits for a small family to have a couple of meals a week and still have some stock for trading/breeding/etc. A larger family or group to feed could also keep a larger number of rabbits on hand.
There is a lot more detailed information available online and in books and magazines that goes into much greater detail than a quick internet article can, but nothing beats hands on experience. With all of the benefits that having a rabbitry can provide, it may be good idea to incorporate one into your long term planning. Consider the possibilities.
G.G. flagged this item: A Blunder at the Money Factory
Items from The Economatrix:
Bernanke Just Felt a Chill Down His Spine
They Are Systematically Destroying Our Independence And Making Us All Serfs Of The State
The Nation’s 25 Most Dangerous Neighborhoods.
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Reader T.K. wrote to mention some good news: “The price of the PTR-91 [a HK91 clone rifle] has returned to normal. I bought mine a couple of months after the Newtown Shootings and paid well over $1,400. One Source Tactical is now selling the rifle with five new mags for $975. It was a good rifle at $1,400 but a great one at $975.” [JWR Adds: It is noteworthy that all of their recent production rifles have barrels with the “GI” spec chambers, which makes them tolerant to most types of ammo. That, and plentiful mil-surp magazines still under $3 each makes the PTR-91 my top choice for .308 battle rifles .]
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Camping Survival is running a Wise Foods and Berkey water filter bundle sale. The sale ends on Tuesday, so order soon.
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A new book from Boston T. Party will soon be released: Modules For Manhood — What Every Male Under 40 Must Know. This promises to be a great book.
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California Set to Become Strictest Gun Control State with Ammunition Registry
"Fast is fine, but accuracy is final." – Wyatt Earp (1848 – 1929)
Today we present another entry for Round 48 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:
First Prize: A.) Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course. (A $1,195 value.) B.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) a $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear, E.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value), F.) A $300 Gift Certificate from Freeze Dry Guy. G.) Two BirkSun.com photovoltaic backpacks (one Level, and one Atlas, both black), with a combined value of $275, H.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo. and I.) A roll of $10 face value in pre-1965 U.S. 90% silver quarters, courtesy of GoldAndSilverOnline.com. The current value of this roll is at least $225.
Second Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, B.) A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training. Together, these have a retail value of $589. C.) A FloJak FP-50 stainless steel hand well pump (a $600 value), courtesy of FloJak.com. D.) $300 worth of ammo from Patriot Firearms and Munitions. (They also offer a 10% discount for all SurvivalBlog readers with coupon code SVB10P.), E.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials F.) A full set of all 22 of the books published by PrepperPress.com. This is more than a $200 value, and G.) Two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).
Third Prize: A.) A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.), B.) A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206, C.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value, D.) A Commence Fire! emergency stove with three tinder refill kits. (A $160 value.), E.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security., E.) A Tactical Trauma Bag #3 from JRH Enterprises (a $200 value).
Round 48 ends on September 30th so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.
Introductory Disclaimer: I am not an expert in amateur radio in the sense that I have extensive electronics knowledge, nor am I an expert in prepping. However, I have some experience in disaster and lightweight, portable radio operations and have an interest in being prepared.
I have been an amateur radio operator, or “ham,” since 1997 when I was first licensed as a fifteen year old. At that point I was drawn to the hobby because my grandfather has always been very active in the amateur radio community and a stickler for disaster communication readiness. In 2011 I finally upgraded my license to a “general class” which opened up privileges on all amateur frequency bands. This has allowed me to communicate with amateurs all over the world from Europe to Africa to Southeast Asia.
About two years ago I discovered an area of ham radio that combined my interest in radio with my love for the outdoors. This program encourages hams to “activate” various summits for points. One of the primary guidelines for the program is that you operate without the benefit of commercial power. That is, you must operate using batteries or some other kind of power as long as it isn’t a generator. By nature this means that using low power, five to ten watts, is much more efficient than running fifty or one hundred watts. Furthermore, because of the low power nature of this part of the hobby it is much more efficient to operate using Morse code than voice communications (more on that later). What I have also come to realize with my study of preparations is that this form of communication is almost tailor made for disaster scenarios. What I intend to do here is lay out my argument in favor of low power ham radio for preppers as well as offer some steps for the new ham.
Low power, amateur radio disaster communications.
For about a century amateur radio has been the backbone of disaster communications across the globe. Even with the advent of cell phones ham radio operators have been crucial links in the communications chain, especially in the immediate area of a natural disaster such as a hurricane. Cell service may be available outside of the affected area but ham radio can help bridge the gap across the “last mile” so to speak. In a large scale disaster or collapse scenario it would be unwise to rely on any form of telephone or internet communication. I believe this is where amateur radio would really shine. I could also lump in CB radio here as well but I believe that the variety of frequency options available to amateurs gives them a much greater flexibility and reliability than citizen’s band (absolutely nothing against CBers here I’m just trying to be realistic).
Amateur radio operators have privileges ranging from 10 Gigahertz all the way down to 1.8 Megahertz. This means that hams have access to frequency bands that support both short and long range communications twenty-four hours a day. For instance, one of my favorite bands to operate on is the 40 meter band (7 MHz). During the day it is good for communications out to a couple of hundred miles while during the nighttime hours is can reach out to several hundred to thousands of miles. Depending several factors including time of year, the solar cycle and propagation, hams can operate on frequencies that allow for worldwide communication with a minimum of power.
This brings me to my argument for low power communications. I am currently using two radios for my ham activities, neither of which put out more than five watts of RF power. FCC regulations allow hams to use up to 1,500 watts on most bands but encourage the use of as little power as is necessary to maintain two-way communications. Using Morse code, a simple wire antenna and a small battery I have made successful contact with stations as far away as Eastern Europe. On a typical day of operating from home I can count on several contacts around the southeast with only two to three watts of power.
Let me pause here to address power supply considerations. When I operate portable I use a 1.2 AH sealed lead acid battery. It weighs about one pound and will sustain operations for several hours depending on how much I am transmitting. With two of these batteries I can easily operate all day. I haven’t purchased one yet but many hams use small solar chargers to replenish their batteries for extended portable operations. One thing that I would love to explore would be mounting a small solar array on my roof which would be connected to large batteries in the house. The solar panels would offer a slow trickle charge and the large battery would sustain longer durations of communication. This would effectively remove my radio station from the grid which would mean uninterrupted communications in a disaster. Naturally batteries would not last forever without recharge so in a situation where the grid was down it would take discipline to operate some while allowing the batteries sufficient time to charge whether by solar power, wind power or a generator. Again, the benefits of operating with only a few watts in this scenario are clear, less draw on the batteries equals longer time on the air.
My argument from here will be centered on two things, the simplicity of low power radios and the benefits of using Morse code. As far as simplicity goes, a low power Morse code radio is not only budget friendly but also quite easy to assemble and maintain. I have built and operate a radio that is about the size of a paperback book and weighs about one pound. It also gives me three bands to choose from which I picked for long distance and local communication (different frequency bands propagate differently). My entire portable station which includes; the radio, antenna tuner, wire antenna, battery, ear buds and key only weighs a few pounds and fits neatly in a small backpack. There are other options for radios that are built in Altoids tins and batteries like those used in RC aircraft that cut down on weight and size even more! All of this adds up to an extremely portable radio station that you can reliably communicate across the globe (North America to Australia is not unheard of with five watts of power).
Now let me take a few moments to address modes of communication as a ham. Amateur radio has done a stellar job of evolving with the technology of the times. Now there are modes that are completely digital and occupy a very small amount of bandwidth. Typically, this involves the addition of some kind of computer so I will not go into detail here. The two most popular modes of communication for hams are single sideband (SSB) and Morse code (also known as CW which stands for continuous wave). Sideband is obviously the more convenient of the two because you just talk into a microphone. The drawback is that it is less efficient, particularly in low power situations, and require more complex equipment. Though it is less efficient it is not out of bounds for low power. I have received good reports from as far away as Austria using only two watts on sideband from my home on the east coast.
In my opinion the best option for low power communication, especially in a disaster or collapse scenario, is Morse code. I hold this opinion for several reasons.
Getting Started in Amateur Radio
For those of us who are preparation minded there is no reason I can think of to not become involved in ham radio now. The FCC has eliminated the requirement of knowing Morse code to get a license. There are three levels of license that offer greater privileges across the spectrum. The most basic license class, technician, offers complete privileges on VHF and UHF frequencies and some limited use of HF bands. The general and extra class licenses grant privileges on all HF bands which means some serious long distance communication. I will say, if I can get a general class license then anyone can. It does take some effort and study but it is very doable. There are many great books, web sites and courses available to anyone interested in becoming licensed. There is a test to pass in order to receive your license and most local ham clubs offer testing on a regular basis for a small fee.
One recommendation that I would make is to learn Morse code as soon as possible. It has taken me a little over a year to get to where I am at fifteen words per minute and the sooner you learn the better. Again, there are web sites and CDs galore to help in this process. One of the side benefits of learning code is it’s just plain cool. When you learn it you know something that fewer and fewer people know and friends will be amazed.
Once you become licensed the next thing is to get some gear and let me tell you…hams love their toys. If you so desire you can spend tens of thousands of dollars on your radio equipment, and no one will think less of you if you do. However, I have less than $500 wrapped up in all of my equipment and only $200 or so in my portable gear. If you look at swap meets, hamfests and on ebay there is plenty of good gear for reasonable prices. The best way to save some cash on radio gear is to make as much of it as possible yourself. I have never bought and antenna for HF operations. Simple, wire antennas perform at a world class level and can be constructed for a few dollars. I have also built a radio, two antenna tuners and a power/SWR meter. Through that process I’ve gained knowledge and confidence in handling electronic equipment.
Conclusions
I’ve made my argument for amateur radio communications for disaster or collapse scenarios and tried to offer some advice for those who want to get started. In my mind the low power ham radio station is perfectly suited to the preparation mindset. If and when the grid goes down the ability to communicate with others, gather news from near and far, and link up with other communities will be vital. Now is the time to be prepared for communications needs. You could easily get together with like-minded friends and get your licenses at the same time and start regular, on-the-air nets to practice for the unwelcomed event of a disaster. The truth is, there are already hundreds of nets going on each week to keep amateurs ready for natural or man-made disasters.
Finally, the argument could be made that when/if we find ourselves in a situation without the rule of law then you could just start operating on amateur frequencies without a license. That is certainly an option but one that I am not in favor of at all. First of all, just because there may not be an FCC to regulate radio communications sometime in the future doesn’t mean we can’t follow the law anyway. I would hope that no one would want society to remain in a state of lawlessness and one of the great things about ham radio is that we try our best to be self-regulatory. Should the worst happen, I will continue to operate my radio station in a manner that is consistent with the rules that govern me now. I will continue to use my callsign and I will do it within the boundaries set for me. The absence of law does not mean I have to be lawless and if operating my radio station in a legal manner helps in some small way to restore order that is what I will do.
For those of you planning on bugging out with a knife and a backpack when the SHTF, read no further because nothing in this article will be of value to you. For those of us who, for one reason or another, have to plan on bugging in, this might serve as a reminder to stock some cheap but necessary items that you may not have considered. Judging by the number of survival threads and articles that I have read, a number of us plan on maintaining, if possible, some sort of energy source should EMP, flood, hurricane, terrorist act or other event disrupt our electric service. At times like this, we can expect blackouts, rolling blackouts, brownouts, surges, peaks or other electrical gremlins to occur. All of these things place stress on electrical and electronic devices and the components designed to protect them; fuses. In addition to blowing out, fuses wear out. This is most common in devices that draw large amounts of power and are switched on and off frequently such as home HVAC units. Heavy current flow through a fuse generates heat and the fuse link expands and contracts with the temperature change until metal fatigue finally takes its toll. Take inventory of all of the electronic and electrical devices around your bug in location and you will be surprised at the variety of fuses necessary to keep things running. Yes, I know, you can often bypass fuses to keep something running in an emergency but you also bypass the item designed to keep the device from burning out or malfunctioning, possibly when you need it most. Fuses are low cost items that are readily available during normal times but that is not what we are talking about, is it?
Start by examining the service entry box at your house. If it is an older house, it may still be wired with screw-in plug type fuses. Modern electrical devices cumulatively draw more current then these systems were designed to handle and you are probably already accustomed to occasionally replacing some of these fuses. It might be wise to accumulate a large supply of those fuses in advance in the event a trip to the local hardware store is not wise in the future. If your house has a panel of circuit breakers, examine it closely to see if all of these breakers are rated at 25 amps or below and, if they are, the panel will also contain a pair of large cartridge type fuses, often concealed behind a large Bakelite handle which also serves as a disconnect device. A spare pair of these fuses is a cheap investment. Remember, brownouts and surges can stress components to a level above normal.
Start closely examining the instruction books and manuals for the various types of electrical and electronic equipment that you own. If you are so talented, open up the devices and examine them carefully for fuses which are often placed somewhere in the device close to the power input source. These fuse devices are not generally meant to be user serviced but, in an emergency, might allow you to retain the use of a critical device. Some of these may not appear to be the normal type of fuse that you are accustomed to seeing but may quickly disable the device in the event of a power surge. Enlist the help of a knowledgeable friend if you are not comfortable doing this. The circuit boards will often be marked with numbers identifying the parts and fuses are often designated with numbers such as “F101” etc. I recently opened up a 2000 watt power inverter to find that it contained eight 250 watt inverter modules, each with its own 40 amp fuse! If this inverter were to be overloaded or subjected to an extreme power surge, it would be possible that these fuses could all blow out in sequence as the remaining modules each attempted to assume the load vacated by the first module to blow out. Don’t forget charge controllers and the inline fuses in the connecting wires of 12 volt radios, scanners and CB sets. Also, closely examine the cigarette lighter plug which allows you to run some devices off your vehicle’s electrical system for a cartridge type fuse behind the tip of the plug. The very popular Maha MHC9000 charger often used with Eneloop batteries has such a fuse in its 12 volt cord as does the charger for my 2 meter ham radio and the vehicle charger for my Craftsman power tool batteries. I have also seen cigarette lighter plugs which use miniature blade type fuses inserted into the side of the plug.
By the way, if one of your power tool batteries suddenly goes “dead”, particularly after you have stalled or overloaded the tool, open the battery up. Inside, you may find a small strip of metal that is used to interconnect the individual cells in the battery and see that there is a melted gap in one part of the metal. That is a fuse! You can make an emergency repair and continue to reuse the battery by carefully soldering a small piece of copper wire across the gap. Try to avoid using too much heat while doing this and use a good grade of rosin core solder. Scraping the metal for a clean surface in advance often helps the solder to adhere to the metal.
Last and certainly not least, check your owner’s manuals for a complete listing of the fuses used in your vehicles. Many modern vehicles contain more circuits than your house and use a wide variety of fuses. A large kit or selection of those fuses would be a good investment. Harbor Freight sells assortments of the common sizes of blade type fuses at reasonable prices. If you have a RV equipped for bugging out, don’t rely on the owner’s manual to tell you about every fuse hidden in the vehicle. Trace the wiring for everything that connects to either the incoming AC power, the onboard generator if so equipped, or the “house” batteries for inline fuses as well as any fuses installed in fuse panels or blocks. Some RV refrigerators have fuses hidden inside them. Again, a knowledgeable friend may be very helpful. The Ford chassis used as the basis for my class B motor home has a master fuse block located under the hood and a second fuse block beneath the dash and they each use different sized fuses. The coach itself has fuses in the inverter/charger unit and large fuse links in the battery bay. Again, trace the wiring.
Fuses may seem like small, unimportant items but remember, “for want of a nail, the shoe was lost………..”. You can’t have too many fuses as some problems may be reoccurring until the fault is located. Be safe, be prepared. – G.L.D.
Eight College Degrees with the Worst Return on Investment. [JWR’s Comments: One loser program that they left off the list: the Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work (BSW.) OBTW, is it just a coincidence that many of these degree programs are dominated by leftists–both students and faculty?]
Reader CJA suggested: The Incredible Shrinking COMEX Gold Warehouse Inventories
US debt six times greater than declared – study
Items from The Economatrix:
How Washington Could Push Gas Prices Higher
Next Fed Chair Will Lead Us to ‘Economic Ruin,’ Says Peter Schiff
Brazil uprising points to rise of leaderless networks. (The 21st Century Paradigm: Unemployment + social media networking = riots.)
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A reader in Switzerland wrote to mention that an anti-gun “Ministry of Truth” cabal at Wikipedia is attemping to systematically expunge any references to mayors who have resigned and the mayors who have criminal convictions from the Mayors Against Illegal Guns wiki page. These guys make Stalin and his successors look like amateurs. If you are an experienced Wikipedian, feel free to chime in.
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Ingrown Toenails in Tough Times
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Part of the amazing aircraft collection of Merle Maine will be auctioned this weekend, in Ontario, Oregon. (In eastern Oregon, near the Idaho state line.) How many private pilots can say that they own an operational Grumman F7F-3 Tigercat, a T-28, a DeHavilland MK-35 Vampire, a Grumman S2F-2 Tracker, a MiG-17, or a MiG-23? Quite the collection of old Caddies, too. Merle had class.
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What Global Warming? 2012 Data Confirms Earth In Cooling Trend
"Science must not impose any philosophy, any more than the telephone must tell us what to say." – G.K. Chesterton
August 14th is remembered annually as Victory Over Japan Day. V-J Day in 1945 was indeed a day to celebrate. Although communism would soon again bring war clouds over East Asia,V-J Day brought a sigh of relief to millions. Few could have predicted that in just a decade Japan would re-emerge as an economic powerhouse, only to be eventually eclipsed by a post-communist China. On August 14th, President Harry Truman announced: “This is the day we have been waiting for since Pearl Harbor. This is the day when Fascism finally dies, as we always knew it would.”
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Today we present another entry for Round 48 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:
First Prize: A.) Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course. (A $1,195 value.) B.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) a $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear, E.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value), F.) A $300 Gift Certificate from Freeze Dry Guy. G.) Two BirkSun.com photovoltaic backpacks (one Level, and one Atlas, both black), with a combined value of $275, H.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo. and I.) A roll of $10 face value in pre-1965 U.S. 90% silver quarters, courtesy of GoldAndSilverOnline.com. The current value of this roll is at least $225.
Second Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, B.) A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training. Together, these have a retail value of $589. C.) A FloJak FP-50 stainless steel hand well pump (a $600 value), courtesy of FloJak.com. D.) $300 worth of ammo from Patriot Firearms and Munitions. (They also offer a 10% discount for all SurvivalBlog readers with coupon code SVB10P.), E.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials F.) A full set of all 22 of the books published by PrepperPress.com. This is more than a $200 value, and G.) Two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).
Third Prize: A.) A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.), B.) A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206, C.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value, D.) A Commence Fire! emergency stove with three tinder refill kits. (A $160 value.), E.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security., E.) A Tactical Trauma Bag #3 from JRH Enterprises (a $200 value).
Round 48 ends on September 30th so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.
Wakeup Call
It was 2 o’clock in the morning when our two year old toddler woke me with a terrifying scream. She was just across the hallway, but I was disoriented for a moment and couldn’t figure out why I was blind. As I realized the power was out, I looked for the battery-powered lantern I keep beside the bed only to find it missing. The three year old had probably been playing with it again. I felt my way around the house and hoped the lantern would still have power. It clicked on and what a blessed sight that light was. After a few minutes of rocking and lullabies, the baby was soundly sleeping, but I was wide awake. I found the extra flash light and left it turned on in the older children’s room so they wouldn’t be scared if they woke in the pitch-dark. I went to the deck and saw the entire subdivision blacked-out. Across the fields and interstate the city was aglow, but our tiny part of the world was eerily quiet. All the white noise of technology was gone and only the frogs and bugs by the irrigation ditch were chirping away. I lay awake long into the night, on high alert for the sound of little ones crying, pondering the long list of things I did not have prepared.
Prior to that night I had 72-hour kits, winter-weather packs for the cars, and some bulk foods on hand for rainy days. I grew up in the country where we kept a flashlight by the back door to check animals in the middle of the night. My mother was and still is a wonderful advocate of food storage and small animal self-reliance. Our family enjoys watching shows like “Doomsday Preppers” and “Mega-Disasters.” My lack of preparation wasn’t because I hadn’t heard the message, but rather the notion that there would be time later. My goal in writing this article is to provide an outline for individuals new to the prepping world. The first item of discussion is disasters, but which disaster? The second item is creating the LIST, in other words, what stuff is needed to survive said disaster. The third portion addresses how to keep it all organized once you start making lists. And I’ll mention a few tips on organizing for the smallest of disasters, Category I’s or 72 Hour Evacuations.
Item 1: Disaster, Which Disaster?
Survival and Emergency Preparation information is available in many places and it can take days and weeks to sort through. Our church hosted an Emergency Preparedness Fair with workshops covering many topics such as Heirloom Seeds, Getting Water without Electricity, 72-Hour Packs, Planning, Canning, and Non-canning food storage. Each participant received a binder entitled “Provident Living” for organizing information and setting goals for future needs. I dusted that binder off and began reading with new eyes.
There are as many disaster scenarios as there are “preppers”, so how the heck do you know what to plan for? (Check out “Different Prepping Approaches” by Marlene M. posted July 20, 2013 in the Survival Mindset Category, SurvivalBlog.com.) Using one presenter’s advice1 to create lists for different scenarios, I summarized his information on disasters into four categories. It just made sense to start with disasters of shortest duration and build up to The End of the World as We Know (TEOTWAWKI)-level disaster.
Table 1. What types of Disaster do I Plan for?
| Disaster |
Category I |
Category II |
Category III |
Category IV |
|
Description |
Natural or Man-made requiring evacuation |
Natural or Man-made |
Rainy Days & Hard Times |
Long-Term Calamity TEOTWAWKI |
|
Shelter |
Forced out of home, no utilities or supplies except what you take with you |
In home or have access to it, but there are no utilities |
In home with possible utilities, insufficient funds to purchase supplies |
May or may not be in your home, nothing available anywhere at any price |
|
Duration |
72 hours to 2 weeks |
Short term- up to 2 months |
A few weeks to a year or more |
Long Term- Unknown |
|
Causes |
Localized:
|
Localized:
|
Economic Crisis:
|
Widespread Catastrophes:
|
|
Special Emphasis |
All essentials in a portable container |
Emergency Supplies |
Pantry Principles: Practical |
Long-term storage, self-reliance skills of mending, repairing, providing, bartering, medical care, etc. |
Item 2: List, What List?
My vague wish list for long-term storage items was not enough. I began to sort through what I had and figure out what would be needed for possible disasters. I needed a master plan to get organized and felt that the Lord would guide me. A Sunday lesson had taught how the Creation was a pattern for gaining self-reliance. In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth (Gen. 1:1). Following this example, I created a plan for my little “Homestead” taking into mind food storage, water, gardening, small livestock, and so on. I made the following Table and listed some basic supplies for each section to give you an idea. For exhaustive lists search the “List of Lists” on Survivalblog.com.
Table 2. Creation-Based Planning
| Scripture |
Items |
Category I |
Category II |
Category III |
Category IV |
|
|
Time Frame |
72 Hour Minimum* |
3 Month Supply |
1 Year Supply |
Indefinitely |
|
Genesis 1:3-4 |
Light & Heat |
-Candles |
Add |
Add |
Add |
|
Genesis 1:9-10 |
Water |
-72 hour supply |
Add |
Add |
Add |
|
Genesis 1:12,29 |
Plant Based Foods |
-MRE’s |
Add BULK |
Add |
Add |
|
Genesis 1:21,25 |
Animal Based Foods |
-Protein shakes |
Add |
Add |
Add |
|
Genesis 1:27 |
Human Necessities & |
-Toiletry Kit |
Add |
Add |
Add |
|
Genesis |
Rest from your work and enjoy the peace of mind that comes with being prepared. Remember to honor the Sabbath day even in times of hardship. Those in your company will be in need of Spiritual nourishment as much as physical nourishment. Ex 31:17 “he rested, and was refreshed.” |
||||
|
Genesis 2:15 |
Put All into Practice |
Set a time every year to rotate items |
Store food that your family will eat, and rotate through it |
Garden, Raise Livestock, and Live as if your life depended on it NOW |
Learn Self-Reliance, Practice It and then spread the word in your community |
*72 Hours is the minimum amount of time to plan for. As recent natural disasters have shown, it may take longer for you to return home and have full use of utilities.
Item 3: How to Organize
So now you have all these areas of your life that need preparation and the list in your head is getting longer by the minute. Ahhhh! It’s easy to be overwhelmed by all the details, but don’t stop now! Take a deep breath and remember that you only have to start with ONE item this week, and next week you can do another, and so on. Look at different lists until you find a style that resonates. A simple spreadsheet design on SurvivalBlog.com is titled “List of Lists”. They offer detailed lists from an expert on every necessary area.
All you need is a 1 or 2 inch ring diameter binder and some dividers to start. The binder system allows you to easily add information along the way. Start with a section entitled Homestead which will include: Communications, Evacuation Plans, and Tools. Continue to make a section for each set of items from Table 2: Light & Heat, Water, Plant Based Foods, Animal Based Foods, Human Necessities & Comforts, and Spiritual Needs. Some additional sections may include Financial Preparations, Safety, Security, and Maps. Again, the work has already been done in “List of Lists” referenced above and they are free to use. I just put each list under the best-fitting section and make personal modifications as needed.
Item 4: Category I- Short Term Evacuation
So let’s get into the short term evacuation scenario. You need to leave your home quickly with enough supplies to carry you through … fill in whatever type of disaster you wish. I started organizing for Category I with “72 hour kits”. Other names for this type of kit are the B.O.B. “Bug-Out-Bag” or the G.O.O.D. “Get Out Of Dodge” bag. You may have seen the term I.N.C.H. bag as in “I’m Never Coming Home.” As this last name implies, it would be a kit that is kept for Category IV scenarios with more emphasis on rebuilding tools and long-term survival away from home. Some helpful hints for beginners: designate an area for these items, make water portable, have a backpack for each person, and post a list in a visible spot.
72 Hour Emergency Station- Create one spot or “station2” where all things needed for the 72 hour level of emergency are kept together. We now have a closet in our laundry room that is designated for that purpose. This ensures that any person at home could load the evacuation supplies and meet up at a Rally Point with other family members. To help young children prepare, practice drills where each family member is assigned certain items to carry for an evacuation. Use a stopwatch and make it a game for them.
Water– The general rule of emergency preparedness is 1 gallon of water per person or pet per day. There are 5 people in our family x 3 days= 15 gallons. Because my small children can’t carry the weight of three gallons, I have 2 liters in each pack with the additional water in a combination of 5 gallon jugs and cases of bottled water. Since this is the bare minimum, it’s also a good idea to have water purification methods in each of the kits.
Backpacks– There is one backpack or small rolling suitcase for each person and pet in the home. These hold everything from important documents in waterproof covers, flashlights, food, clothes, and first aid kits to books and tiny toys for the kids. This is where list making is needed. After studying several suggested lists, compile an individualized list based on what type of disasters are common in your region and specific needs of the person such as extra prescription drugs, glasses, or diapers.
Evacuation List– Make a printed list that hangs in the station listing evacuation items in order of importance. You decide and make sure everyone else knows that the list is law. Take time to think it through now so when the SHTF evacuation will go smoothly and safely. Put the “Extras” at the bottom of the list.
Extras– “Extras” are the items that would be nice to have if there was time and space to take them, but not essential to your survival for three days. It could be a duffle bag or other portable container. Mine is a blue Rubbermaid tote that is easy to move, water proof, and doubles as a child’s bath or wash tub. Inside the tote is an inventory of items so that all family members will quickly know what resources are on hand. I also added a copy of driving directions and a map of alternate routes to our evacuation spot.
Item 5: Line Upon Line
Following the example of organizing for Category I, continue to develop your plans for the next category, and then the next, and then the next. It’s a situation where the principle of “line upon line, precept upon precept3” applies because after you have planned for and acquired supplies for 3 days, 2 weeks will seem do-able. After you have two weeks’ worth of supplies, three months won’t seem like too big of a burden, and all of a sudden you will have a year’s worth of supplies and be living like a veteran “prepper.”
The last section titled Put it all into Practice happens when “prepping” becomes a way of life. “Line upon line” you will gain knowledge of self-reliance, including but not limited to: gathering resources, building a personal library, networking with people, gardening, raising livestock, physical fitness, self-defense, hands-on training, and tools of a trade.
Gathering Resources- The internet is a wonderful tool for gathering information on every topic imaginable. SurvivalBlog.com, Mother Earth News and Honeyvillegrain.com are just a few of the sites I like to search. As I find a specific topic that I want to learn more about I send for free catalogues to look at supplies. My preparedness binder has a growing section of articles I’ve printed from professional and amateur blog sites.
Personal Library– When the grid goes down, having a collection of books on a wide range of topics will be invaluable. I want the peace of mind knowing that I can refer to tried-and-true information in times of need. Take the time to read reviews on books before purchasing them. Many times I was saved from buying a book because the other readers pointed out it lacked the critical information I would need for real-life scenarios. I also subscribe to GRIT that offers information on all kinds of homesteading topics.
Networking with People– The talents and experience of neighbors, extended family, and community members is a wealth of knowledge that is only useful if we know where to go. The Preparedness Fair at church gave me insight into the resources of our congregation. We moved into a new subdivision and as we get to know the neighbors, I’ve found that one is a Jack-of-all trades that can build anything from houses to engines while another on is an avid bow hunter and camper. Ask these people for advice and help when you come across new and unfamiliar prepping topics. Being new to this blog, I find it exciting to know there are countless people out there with similar interests and a wealth of knowledge.
If you are a veteran prepper that has been doing this for years and can think of someone you know who hasn’t caught the fire to prep, maybe they don’t know where to start. Don’t give up; continue to be the great examples you are and someday it will reach someone like me.
Gardening– Grow what you can, even if it’s a few pots on the patio. Learn about local soil, how to fertilize, controlling pests and climate restrictions. Living in a dry area with short growing seasons means that my ability to preserve a large harvest is crucial. Up here we plant mid-May and harvest by late September, so in a TEOTWAWKI scenario, I would be eating canned or dried produce 9-10 months of the year.
Look to your local county extension office for help. Each state has this program under their county government listing. They offer scientific based help for agriculture, livestock pastures, family and consumer sciences (cooking and preserving methods), and horticulture. One example of courses offered by Yellowstone County helps develop horticulture skills in a Master Gardener Course.
Raising Livestock– Start small and build your herds and flocks with the same principle of “line upon line.” I grew up in the rural 4-H setting, so I dabbled in everything from pigs to dairy goats to horses. If you have children from ages 6-19, find a local 4-H club to join. The kids get to enjoy the responsibility of caring for animals and parents have an automatic network of experienced project leaders that volunteer hundreds of hours to the program. Their programs extend beyond animals to include a wide range of topics with everything from Aerospace and Astronomy to Wind Energy and Woodworking. Check out page 16 of the Project Material Order Form4 for a full list of the 115 projects available.
Physical Fitness– After reading several articles5 I realized my kids will be depending on me to keep them safe, sheltered, and fed when SHTF. I’m 35 pounds overweight and I feel stiff and tired many mornings. That comes after a good eight hours of sleep in a very comfortable bed with plenty to eat and a hot shower each day. Imagine being on the run, sleeping on the ground with limited calories and an immense load of stress. This was another important area that I needed to start making changes in now, and not wait. So thanks to a great neighbor, I’ve started cardio and weight lifting, alternating days and resting on Sundays. When I get tired, I envision having to put up a shelter in subzero temperatures or bug out with all our gear. That’s what motivates me to push harder.
Self-Defense– I cannot add any personal experience in this area of preparation yet. If you are like me, unfamiliar and intimidated by handling firearms, the best advice I can offer is to seek out opportunities to learn these skills. This summer I will be attending a three day camp, just for women, that focuses on outdoor skills. (An idea is already forming for my next article, Women and Firearms: 101). This fall I want to take a two-part basic pistol class offered by a local shooting range. My goal is to increase my confidence through these experiences and become knowledgeable enough to purchase my own firearms.
Hands-on Training– So how do I become self-reliant? If I wait to learn by trial-and-error, I may not last the first week or the first growing season. Start by asking family members to share things they know about. My father-in-law is a Vietnam Vet and was really helpful when I told him I had started “prepping.” Search out camps and retreats that offer classes by experts. I found affordable and local classes put on by the Wildlife, Fish and Parks Department in Montana. They offer classes on things like packing horses in the mountains, GPS and Compass reading, Rifle, Archery, Outdoor cooking, and Wilderness Survival. Locally the police department put on a free woman’s self-defense class. Even if your funds are limited, be resourceful and find ways to learn the skills you want. Organize classes through local churches or volunteer to be a 4-H project leader.
Tools of the Trade/Craft– If the grid crashed today and there was no FedEx or Amazon.com would you have the tools and supplies needed to perform or produce something of value? For example, my extended family raises dairy goats. Each spring the children choose newborn kids for 4-H project animals and the extra milk is used by our families. There are many valuable products besides milk such as cheeses, soaps, meats, hides and pack animals. While these aspects of the goat herd aren’t being utilized right now, having the necessary equipment on hand such as molds, lye, presses, cheese cloth, Rennet tablets, etc. will be crucial for us to have a means of bartering goods and providing basics for survival.
Just Do It
Just do it! If you made it this far, I know you have been “awakened”! You are now aware that there are various types of disasters to plan for and that each can have a different list of supplies. Use a system to keep it all organized so that you don’t feel overwhelmed. Remember to seek the council of the Lord. Start with the smallest disaster and build steadily toward TEOTWAWKI. Make self-reliance a way of life and may God bless you in all worthy endeavors.
References